Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Lebanon, Dominican Republic, Panama, Haiti, Somalia, Bosnia, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan
Some forums are only visible when logged in…
This Organization -...
 
Notifications
Clear all

This Organization - Popasmoke

6 Posts
5 Users
0 Likes
2 Views
Anonymous
 Anonymous
(@Anonymous)
Posts: 0
New Member
 

I attended a State Staff Meeting yesterday of the Marine Corps League. After the meeting there was a discussion. One of our detachments is made up of mainly Officers and they very rarely participate in State functions. A former Grunt asked me what was the difference between the "O" Club and the "E" Club? I told him that I didn't know. He replied, "The O Club is for the Officers and the E Club is for the Enlisted and never the two shall meet." I understood what he said but I cannot agree with the two shall never meet.

I am not dumb and know that there was a difference between Officers and the Enlisted personnel. Education, Responsibilities and Maturity were very different. Things were so different in the Wing. We respected the Officers and knew their ranks, nicknames, and their flying abilities (smile). There was also a mutual respect on their part for the abilities of their flight crew. A team that worked together and got the job done -- support the troops.

Popasmoke, along with the squadron organizations are shining examples of the respect that we have for each other and the true spirit of the Marine Corps. Although there may have been Officers Country -- there was no Officers Country in life. The bonds formed under the pressures of combat will never be broken. Sadly, This bond, between Officers and Enlisted, is not felt in such a degree by the grunts that we served.

No one can feel the respect and pride that we feel for each other. It is Marine to Marine - Brother to Brother - Flight Crews. Thank you for keeping this feeling alive and well -- as we slowly take our last flights.

 
Posted : 2007-12-03 16:52
JoeReed
(@JoeReed)
Posts: 3130
Active Members
 

Officer/Enlisted relationship

Sam,
True enough. But remember, the Grunt Platoon and Company Commanders didn't have to teach their crews how to fly their birds to possibly save everyone's bacon, should the "worst" happen in a hot LZ. A Captain that taught me how to do really good roll on landings from the left seat of a CH-46A called me "Joe" in the cockpit, but it was L/Cpl Reed outside of it, we all knew and respected that. Still, when we saw each other at Santa Ana after RVN, It was "Hey Joe"!!:D Bet I could still do a pretty hot roll on! LOL! It's all good!

 
Posted : 2007-12-04 12:22
Anonymous
 Anonymous
(@Anonymous)
Posts: 0
New Member
 

This Organization - Popasmoke

From the standpoint of a longtime military helicopter pilot. I always felt that the closeness in the relationship between the pilots and aircrew was because a helicopter is a crew served system. We were in it together. We shared the danger and responsibility to complete the mission safely. They were many times going into tight LZs where the whole crew (both pilots, crew chief and gunner) was absolutely essential to avoid hitting an obstacle and crashing. Likewise, we in the cockpit depended completely on the crew in the back to keep our asses covering with defensive fires and maintaining the aircraft. I, for one, was always thankful to be flying an aircraft with the crew chief a part of the crew, because I know he had a vested interest in keeping me and the aircraft safe.

Thank you Marine!

Paul

 
Posted : 2007-12-04 13:53
thomas.zuppke
(@thomas-zuppke)
Posts: 160
Estimable Member
 

This organization...Pop a Smoke

Joe Reed brought up an interesting analogy. All the crew chiefs, gunners, mechs, etal addressed me by my nickname. If there was "brass" around, as well as other officers, I was addressed as "Cpt" nickname. Altho it seemed to disagree w/USMC protocol, my log book(s)will prove as evidence, how such a working (team) effort can produce results. My first ex-wife could never understand my devotion and dedication to the troops, but the troops sure did, and I cannot, in any stretch of the imagination, feel less stronger about the things we were able to do...especially with broke A/C's.

๐Ÿ˜ฎ

 
Posted : 2007-12-11 01:32
george mckee
(@george-mckee)
Posts: 58
Trusted Member
 

brings back memories of the 'ole corps. i was a sgt. e-5 in jacksonville living in a trailer park with my new wife when one of the troops, don't remember who, came to visit. a grunt e-5 lived next door and advised me later that it was against the ucmj to entertain an e-4. as for the e and o club, i can remember many times i was a guest of the pilot when out on ron and can remember visits from officers at our e club. just a whole darn different marine corps all the way from bloused boots to spit and polish. our spit and polish was reserved for the aircraft with only an occasional junk on the bunk.

 
Posted : 2007-12-29 16:51
Ray Norton
(@ray-norton)
Posts: 322
Reputable Member
 

The reason...

...I am here to write this and am not yet listed at Arlington Cemetery is because of the bravery and quick thinking of Marines too numerous to list here.

That includes but is not limited to Crew Chiefs, Gunners, Avionics Specialists, Armorers...and the pilot whose call sign ended in "six."

For me, rank is just a pay grade.

From my point of view, everyone I served with is "Sir!" .

/s/ray

Raymond J. Norton

1513 Bordeaux Place

Norfolk, VA 23509-1313

(757) 623-1644

 
Posted : 2007-12-29 19:03
Share: